A Shout In The Dark
by Wrekluz
Summary: Young Argonian Nokk-Shikkar will someday be the savior of Tamriel. This is not that story. This is where he grows to be the man before the legend. Before being sent for execution, before the land of Skyrim. A tale of of love, of courage, and of revenge.


*This is a story I originally published back in Nov 2011, just before Skyrim came out. Recently I decided to come back to it, and with the help of my good friend, and editor, I will be finishing off the rest of Nokk's story. Here is the first chapter, with a lot of fixes from the original. I'll be back next week with the following chapter. Enjoy :D

Blood ran down Rek-Leem's gray-scaled hand, down onto the rock he was crouched upon. Glistening crimson droplets were reflected by the bright moon, a sign, he realized, that his blood wasn't protected by his Chameleon spell. _Why didn't I cast an area spell?_ He tensed up, praying the will-o-the-wisp wouldn't notice. He'd never seen one so close before, and for a brief moment appreciated its eerie beauty; how it stayed perfectly aloft, resembling a glowing mead constantly pouring into itself. But not a second after finishing his thought, it stopped its movement. A deep chill of regret slithered its way up his tail. "Foolish…" he lipped, barely daring to breathe.

Although his hand stung from the cut, he clasped it tighter around his ruby and emerald treasure, but it only struggled against him. _NO! NOT NOW!_ Rek was starting to panic, and for a terrifying moment he could see his hand thrashing. He was losing concentration and the spell was wavering, but he managed to compose himself before it was too apparent. Gazing back at the will-o-the-wisp, he watched it continue to float along aimlessly. Thankful, he breathed a soundless sigh of relief and his hand stopped trembling. _Finally._

Just then, he caught sight of another glow. It was faint, and he couldn't see its source, only the reflection of it on the surrounding bushes and the rock beneath him. He flinched, his hand suddenly wet as if he had reached into the Nibenay to catch a slaughterfish. _It can't be blood! Can it?_ Without sight of his hand, all he could do was scan the surface under his feet, hoping not to find more blood. To his astonishment, the rock remained unchanged but for the drop that had previously fallen, now dried and nothing more than a small brown mark upon the stone.

It was then that the wisp paused again. It waited for a second or two before slowly bobbing toward the phantom light. Rek held his breath and clutched his prize tighter, though his hand seemed to have finally stilled. Just then he sensed something strange. The plants around him were withering as if winter itself had been summoned, but it was spring. His scales were itching fiercely, which also only happened during the colder months. With his free hand, he rubbed his fingers against one another. _Dry as bone… Is this the will-o-the-wisp's doing?_ He looked ahead at the ethereal being, now mere inches away. The creature's body, if it could even be called one, started flashing. It let out a moan-like sound almost indistinguishable from a howl of wind, and then unleashed a spark, directly into Rek's injured invisible hand.

"Xuth!" Rek-leem screamed aloud, causing the spell to break. Rek's eyes refocused as his son was exposed in front of him. The youngling was staring intently at the wisp, a ball of water swirling around his head. Without stopping to wonder about the water, Rek grabbed the silver dagger on his belt. Expecting to wince from gripping it with his wounded hand, he was shocked to feel nothing but cold metal. He paused to look but could see no mark from where his son had bit him. No blood; not even a scar. _Did this creature heal me?_

The wisp just continued floating before him, as did his son, Nokk-Shikkar, but the spell that held the water waned and the captive liquid came splashing down onto their feet. Then the ghostly light started glowing brighter, brighter than the sun. Rek squeezed his eyes shut, but still the light pierced his scaled lids. Unable to bear it, he looked away and abruptly it was gone. Opening his eyes, he turned to find no sign of the glowing being, only Nokk crumpled upon the rock. Gathering his son into his arms, he cast a Detect Life, revealing the pink aura coursing through the still body. His son had survived the encounter. Still, Rek was not eased. He stood, holding his son close for a breathless moment. Pushing his worry aside, Rek grasped Nokk tightly and set off through the forest, barreling toward camp. His wife was an expert at Restoration. She would know what to do.


End file.
